Fri 30 Jul 2010
|
A. Salutations & Reminders (v1:1-1:9)
B. Divisions within the church (v1:10-4:21)
1. The manifestation of the problem (v1:10-17)
A question of: “Which group is most spiritual?” leads to emptying the cross of Christ of its power
2. The gospel contradicts human wisdom (v1:18-2:5)
Your understanding of “spirituality” is a contradiction to the gospel
3. God’s wisdom is through the Spirit (v2:6-16)
This gospel is revealed through the Spirit
4. You’re “baby” Christians (v3:1-4)
Your works reveal your childishness
Ü 5. About the men who are honored (v3:5-17)
It’s you who are sacred, not us apostles
a. What makes the workers special? (v5-9)
b. The judgment of a believers’ works (v10-15)
c. What is God’s belongs to God (v16-17)
|
|
¿: What is the difference between solid food and milk?
Baby vs. Mature Ü It’s not so important WHERE you are today but whether you’re moving.
Cf. Heb 5:14- Distinguishing good and evil can ONLY be done with constant use of solid food.
Spiritual maturity IS NOT more knowledge, it’s more understanding resulting from more action/experience just like an adolescent can know about the world and somewhere along the line in “adulthood” the child now understands.
It’s about application. Study w/o application shows lack of growth. The fruit is not something you put on, it’s something that grows out of your roots. Bickering is fruit. Talking about another behind their back is a fruit. Dishonestly in my dealings is a fruit. Holding onto thoughts of myself has having better ideas is a fruit.
Philippians 2:14-16 “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure…”
Christ crucified is a message concerned not only w/justification but also sanctification.(cf. Ro 8:9-14)
|
|
|
Scripture
|
Observation
|
|
1 Corinthians
v5-9
|
God does the growing
|
|
Servants
5
|
Paul and Apollos were servants, yet divisions in the church were forming around them. Imagine a household divided over servants. (ex: “I’ll do what the gardener says,” “the cook has it dialed”)
In status conscious Corinth, Paul uses the low status of a “servant” to describe he & Apollos.
¿: Who gave Paul/Apollos their ministries? (cf. Eph 4:11-13)
|
|
Farmers
6-7
|
¿: Who made it grow?
The planter and the waterer are not very important. They have roles but all is pretty useless unless someone causes the growth. Each does his work and the Lord blesses.
Apollos & Paul were not competing against each other but were complementing each other’s ministries.
¿: Who made it grow? ¿: If God grows it, why weren’t those in Corinth growing? Did God neglect them? [Heb 5:14]
|
|
8-9
|
No jealousy. The two have differing roles but the same aim. One purpose.
¿: Who determines purpose? Role? Results?
“each will be rewarded” = judgment seat of Christ, bema seat
Ü2 Cor 5:10 – we will ALL stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
ÜThis is not an isolated teaching in the New Testament. Jesus said in Matthew 16:27, “The Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and will then recompense every person according to his deeds.”
ÜAnd in the very last chapter of the Bible Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every person according to what he has done” (Revelation 22:12).
¿: What is the reward? [1 Cor 4:5 is at least part of it]
In other words the way you live is not unimportant. Also remember that it’s the Lord that looks on the heart. The WHY of us. What motivates you is your sign of maturity.
It’s not up to us to look on each other and dole out rewards (cf Ro 14:10-12)
We are to rebuke sin, for sure, but it is not our place, nor can we judge the motives of men. We can’t even discern many of our own motives, how can we think we can determine the motives of others?
Note on rebuking sin: we often confuse sin with what “we think” is sin. Scripture is the only standard, not my preferences. Many have latched onto vague and non-specific passages to determine right & wrong. Remember sin is the Lord’s to convict & judge. We an hate the sin and love the person WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WISDOM of what that means
|
|
1 Corinthians
v10-15
|
Genuine character revealed
|
|
Builders
10
|
Paul acknowledges that anything he has done is by God’s grace.
“someone else is building on it” – Paul laid the foundation, now the teaching is relying on another minister. Paul warns the church and this person.
|
|
11
|
Note the foundation is Jesus Christ alone. Not New Testament ethics. Not Christian psychology. Not tradition (either church or denominational).
In a building only one foundation ever needs to be laid.
See 2 Cor 11:4 re: tolerance in preaching a different gospel.
¿: What is a “different Jesus”?
|
|
12
|
Materials show durable vs. temporary/worthless work
Wood, hay and straw CAN be used to successfully build with. It’s not whether we can build, it’s whether it will stand the test.
This shows that worthless things can be used to build the church (i.e who’s teaching do we follow)
This passage in its immediate context is referring to pastors/teachers
¿: We are all builders, what are we building with?
Wood, hay, straw DO NOT represent spiritual gifts. It represents the QUALITY of the work done.
|
|
13
|
“the Day” – judgment day when Christ judges the quality of His servants’ work. It’s not the quantity but quality of work that will be judged.
Fire is often used in Scripture to represent the purification process.
¿: When you stand before Christ on that day, what will last?
|
|
v14-15
|
Before this purification process some of the building materials may not be so obvious.
Loss does not refer to taking something away. It refers to not receiving what could have been received for a work.
It is NOT sin that will be judged
¿: Why not sin? [sin for a believer was handled at the cross once for all]
¿: So what is judged?
¿: Is it possible that these builders who used other than the right materials to build are saved?
¿: Is it possible they are not aware of what they are building with?
¿: How can they determine what is right and what is wrong?
These verses are often used by the Roman Catholics to justify purgatory.
¿: Do you see any meaning that fire purifies character of the man?
|
|
1 Corinthians
v16-17
|
God’s view of the body of Christ
|
|
16
|
“Don’t you know” – this is the first of 10 times Paul uses this clause in the letter (v5:6; 6:2-3, 9, 15-16, 19; 9:13, 24) it is introducing an indisputable statement.
While it is true that each believer is God’s temple, note the thought in this verse is that collectively the church in Corinth is God’s temple. As a body God view’s them as personally His.
I’m sure we’d all agree that we would never do anything to damage the body of Christ – that’s an abstract concept. What if I complain or gossip about the pastor or one of you in this class? What if I show you anything but the grace and love that was showered on me – which I do not deserve? Wouldn’t I be damaging the body of Christ?
|
|
17
|
¿: What importance does the fact that they are God’s temple have to do with this line of reasoning [the people are what’s important NOT the minister]
If any man destroys God’s temple (the body) and wrecks its testimony, God will not tolerate it.
Most believe this verse is talking to unbelievers because it says God will destroy him, but in the greater context what is Paul saying and who is he saying it to?
¿: Do you agree with this interpretation?
¿: How might that inform you about the passages that are not explicit regarding what is a sin, and how to deal with those issues (I’m not saying because it’s not spelled out it’s not a sin – I’m saying be careful and rely on HS to inform)
|
|
If the Lord comes today we have no time to prepare good works to present at the bema seat. If we go on to be with the Lord we have no time to prepare after we die. The time is now. Don’t build “something” build with all your heart using precious materials.
To do that takes constant use. YOU MUST be in constant communion with God in prayer, Bible reading and Body fellowship in order for God to fully exercise your full growth potential.
|
|
The epistle of James speaks a lot about faith and deeds. What we do does not save us, but what we do and why we do it shows us something about us. Come to the evening service tonight hear straight from Scripture what lasts and is meaningful vs. wood, hay and straw.
|
|
















